Glimpses of Glory
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:1-10
I came across this passage in my daily reading once again and was struck by a paradox. If indeed it is Paul, who was “caught up to the third heaven…into paradise”, which is the common understanding of this text, then there is a striking turn in this passage that makes a powerful point. As our local body is enduring a rash of sickness, suffering, and hospitalizations, this passage comes as a welcome balm to encourage the suffering.
What greater blessing could there be than experiencing a supernatural vision of paradise? I believe that every Christian would love to have a glimpse into their future homeland, just for a moment. This is the experience of the Apostle Paul. Yet, God does not allow Him to utter. It is a rare occurrence to see something like this in Scripture. Perhaps the rest of the passage reveals why.
As profound of an experience as Paul had, it appears from the rest of our passage that God uses “a thorn…in the flesh” to bless him and keep him from “becoming conceited.” We will not explore what the “thorn…in the flesh” was, though most believe it was some kind of physical ailment. Whatever it was, it entailed some kind of suffering. Isn’t it remarkable that Paul gains a glimpse into the portals of heaven and then, as if to keep him humble, God afflicts him with this “thorn”? Though a glimpse at glory can do wonders to encourage a soul, we learn also that suffering and trials apparently do even more to teach us and draw us nearer to the Lord. Surely Paul’s heavenly vision was a grace of God, which must have strengthened him greatly. But, before it turned to an opportunity for boasting and conceit, we find that God’s sufficient grace is brought to bear in his life in the form of trials. And what does the thorn in the flesh accomplish in his life? It strengthens Paul’s faith and contentment for the various trials he will face in life: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me…I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.”
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. Ps 119:71
I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Ps 119:75
It appears that trials and affliction teach far more deeply than even a heavenly vision. The great Puritan Pastor and Writer John Bunyan wrote about his time in the Bedford county jail…
“I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the Word of God as now [in prison]. The Scriptures that I saw nothing in before are made in this place to shine upon me. Jesus Christ also was never more real and apparent than now. Here I have seen him and felt him indeed…I have seen [such things] here that I am persuaded I shall never while in this world be able to express…Being very tender of me, [God] hath not suffered me to be molested, but would with one scripture and another strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said, were it lawful I could pray for greater trouble for the greater comfort’s sake.” John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, 123
Martin Luther had similar sentiments as he said there are three rules for understanding Scripture: praying, meditating and suffering trials. He said that trials “teach you not only to know and understand but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how lovely, how mighty, how comforting God’s word is: it is wisdom supreme.” Martin Luther, What Luther Says, 1360.
So, why did Paul receive the glimpse of glory that he did? Perhaps it was part of the grace of God that enabled him to endure the trials that he was to face in his ministry. It was not for public description, but for personal strength. What a tremendous encouragement for anyone going through a trial! Whether God provides a vision, or whether He uses trials, one thing is sure: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”